-cracy

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The English suffix -cracy means a form of government or a state having such government. It is derived from the ancient Greek kratein, meaning "to rule". Typically, the suffix is encountered in distinguishing between the following different forms of government:

• acracy — literally "the negation of rule."
• adhocracy — decentralized rule.
• aristocracy — literally "rule by the best"; in modern usage, rule by the upper class/by those with a birth-right to rule.
• autocracy — (ultimate, despotic) rule by a single individual - literally "self-rule", "rule by oneself". The distinction between a monarchy and an autocracy is that the latter is one in which power overshadows bloodline or a divine right to rule. Note: Many dictatorships are autocracies, but it is not true to say that a dictatorship is automatically an autocracy.
• democracy — literally "rule by the people"; usually "rule by elected/nominated representatives of the people".
• ecclesiocracy — "rule in the name of God".
• hierocracy — rule by priests or religious ministers.
• krytocracy — rule by the judiciary (compare with kritarchy).
• meritocracy — rule upon the basis of ability (merit).
• plutocracy — rule by the affluent class.
• theocracy — "rule by God".

Other words with this suffix include:

• bureaucracy
• corporatocracy
• gerontocracy
• hierocracy
• kakistocracy
• kleptocracy
• mobocracy
• ochlocracy
• oligocracy
• stratocracy
• technocracy
• thalassocracy
• timocracy
• xerocracy

[edit] See also

• List of forms of government
• Anarchism
• Authoritarianism
• Absolutism
• Despotism
• Dictatorship
• Monarchy
• Oligarchy
• Theocracy
• Republic